What is “In the Hopper”?
February 11, 2008
Have you ever thought that the bike you bought would be better if it came with a light, different bars, a plusher saddle? Have you ever thought you could be a bicycle product manager?
Well, here you can.
We are using this space to let you know what we are thinking about for future product and give you the opportunity to comment and throw your own ideas into the ring.
Filed in: In the hopper Comments (2)
Comments
you touched a nerve when you said ‘have you ever wanted to a product designer’...I’ve had ‘better ideas’ for years. Right now I think some of the best designs are in the manufacturers
‘coasting bikes’ (shimano shift system) catagories- the Raleigh, Schwinn and K-2 models are clean and functional. I prefer designs with the up-right, ‘northroad’ style bar, a wider, but not cruiser saddle, lotsa clearance for fenders, racks, etc. I bought my first new bike in 20 years- a Surly Cross Check for many of those reasons. The ‘roadster’ style bikes from the early 1900’s (see old Sears catalogs) have a classic, timeless design-they embody livliness and aesthetics, something that is lacking in current design considerations. I’ll critique your ‘08 city bike-(shown in the current issue of BRAIN. The bike looks ponderous and heavy (which it isn’t, I know). I haven’t been a fan of over-sized frame tubes even though I had a Cannondale for years.The straight bars have no curves, i.e. no ‘flow’ or energy. Plus, they offer no variety of hand positions. You can take the ‘northroad’ bar and invert it for a racier look, if you choose. I’ve never been a disc brake fan....expensive, specialized replacement parts, etc. I do appreciate the non-suspension fork.
They’re a great marketing ( and after-market) component, but mostly unnecessary and weighty.
I had a full-service ‘A-line’ shop for 20 years in the golden years of mtn.biking 80’s on. I remember when a $1000 bike was an outrageous price. Now I have a back-yard shop, rebuild lotsa old stuff, make fixies from old ten-spds. etc. I also have a shade-tree bike shop in Sonora, Mexico, where the goal is to make em’ roll, not too much more. I am amazed at the resilience of bike parts and also how you can fix them if you think ‘outside of the box. I use a lot of hose clamps in the process. Most all the bikes I sell are in the$50-100 range.
I was taken by the fact that you are addressing the dirty side of manufacturing, both environmentally and socially. My question is-can you make a bike that sells for under a $100, ala Walmart, that can be made in a socially/environ. responsible manner? I am attracted to the fact that, due to China, better bikes are becoming more affordable to the populace. Guess I’m uncomfortable looking at the ‘dirty laundry’ side of the equation. When I have some specific design requests I’ll contact you. Thank you for your time, Yours in Cycling, Sincerely, ElsonMiles
P.S. Have you ever been in contact with ITDP in NYC and their Afri-bike design project?
Regarding your question concerning the enviro and social aspects for under a hundred bucks; there is no reason as an industry we can’t start working towards that goal today.
Price erosion over the past 15 years got us to the point of the $40 mountain bike with 24 speed indexed shifting. It will take time to reverse the expectation of what features are included on a $40 bike. There is a long term cost associated with the production of extremely cheap goods. Both suppliers and consumers need to made aware of these costs and maybe then expectations can start to be changed over time.